AWARD-WINNING Australian blues-roots guitarist and singer Geoff Achison will top the bill at an exciting Easter gig in Colchester in aid of the charity MS-UK.

Geoff - winner of plaudits, including a coveted Albert King Award from the American Blues Foundation - is known worldwide for his energetic live performances, original songwriting and unique guitar style.

He is taking time out from a busy UK spring tour schedule to play a very special MS-UK Virtuosity show at Colchester Arts Centre, on Easter Saturday, when he will be appearing alongside two of Essex’s most popular home-grown blues acts, Tim Aves and Wolfpack and solo artist bottle-neck guitarist Martin McNeill.

Geoff tours the UK most years, backed by the UK Souldiggers, a crack squad of British musicians, including British Blues Hall of Famer Sam Kelly on drums.

His music is firmly steeped in the blues but with elements of funk, soul, jazz and even classical elements, which the musician terms ‘bluesic’.

Equally adept on electric or acoustic guitar, Geoff’s shows range from blistering blues/rock to solo acoustic performances.

As Tim says: “He can rock the house with brilliant intensity but then hush the crowd to silence with beautiful, delicate phrasing.”

Second on the bill is Tim Aves and Wolfpack who are fronted by singer, guitarist and harmonica player Tim, still well remembered in Colchester as a member of long-running R ‘n’ B band Automatic Slim.

For this show, Wolfpack will be joined on guitar by a special guest, American guitarist Ben Tyzack, of top London band, the Spikedrivers.

The show is opened by veteran Thames Delta bottleneck slide guitar master Martin McNeill, one of the busiest musicians on the Essex blues scene and a Colchester resident for several decades but now based in Southend.

The show is part of MS-UK’s national 25th anniversary celebrations, and is being filmed and audio-recorded by students from the Colchester Institute as part of their coursework.

With nearly four hours of music in prospect, doors at the Arts Centre, in Church Street, Colchester will open at 6.30pm, with the first act hitting the stage at 7pm sharp.

Advance tickets are £16 (£15, concessions) with a four tickets for the price of three offer also available.

Admission on the door on the night will be £19. For tickets and details, call Colchester Arts Centre on 01206 500900 or visit the venue’s website at www.colchesterartscentre.com